Published: Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 10:34 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 10:34 p.m.

Legislation is on track to have Wilmington declared the first "American World War II City," the chairman of the World War II Wilmington Homefront Heritage Coalition said Thursday night.

Passage in Congress should be "almost pro forma" either in the lame duck session after the Nov. 6 election or in early 2013, Wilbur D. Jones Jr. told the Historical Society of the Lower Cape Fear.

If passed, Wilmington would almost certainly be the first World War II city declared, Jones said.

Wilmington and the surrounding area had bases for all the armed services, including the massive Camp Davis, the anti-aircraft training center at Fort Fisher and the Coast Guard patrol station on Harbor Island.

There were even WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) flying target-towing missions at Fort Fisher, Jones said.

Wilmington was home to the state's largest wartime employer, the N.C. Shipbuilding Co.

The city had three prisoner-of-war encampments holding captured members of the German Afrika Corps.

And it's possible, Jones said, that Kure Beach was the site of the only German attack on American soil, when a U-boat allegedly shelled the Ethyl-Dow bromine plant in July 1943.

Rep. Mike McIntyre, a Democrat, introduced a bill in 2011 to have the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs declare one "American World War II city" each year, Jones said.

Rep, Walter Jones, a Republican whose 3rd District now includes downtown Wilmington and the USO building, has signed on to the measure.

The bill cleared the House Veterans Affairs Committee but did not pass the full House before the pre-election recess, Wilbur Jones said. Chances look good in the Senate, he added, where Richard Burr of North Carolina is the ranking Republican member on the Veterans Affairs Committee.

Meanwhile, a new collection of World War II memorabilia and memorials to "Greatest Generation" veterans will officially go on display Saturday at the Hannah Block USO Building.

The Homefront Heritage Coalition will formally unveil two new memorials in a brief ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday in the USO/Community Arts Center building at Second and Orange streets. Rep. McIntyre, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield will participate.

One plaque will commemorate the 248 armed service members with New Hanover County ties who died in the Second World War. The other will salute the county's two World War II Medal of Honor winners, Charles P. Murray Jr. and William D. Halyburton Jr.

Among the new artifacts to be shown in the USO building are the remains of a champagne bottle used to christen the Liberty ship SS Roger Moore, which was launched at the Wilmington shipyard in 1943. The vessel was named for the founder of Orton Plantation.

"This is probably the most unique wartime relic I have ever seen," Jones told the historical society Thursday. "Usually these were just thrown away."

The neck of the bottle is still in the mesh sack that held it, with red, white and blue ribbons attached. It was preserved by the family of former StarNews chief photographer Joe Nesbitt.

Peggy Moore Perdew, a Roger Moore descendant who was present at the 1943 launch, will be on hand for the Saturday dedication, Jones said.

Other new items on display include a World War II Coast Guard uniform worn by Wilmington resident Swift Boatwright; the medals – including a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and French Croix de Guerre – earned by former state Sen. John Burney Jr., and paintings of the territory in Alsace, France, where Burney's infantry regiment fought.

<p>Legislation is on track to have Wilmington declared the first "American World War II City," the chairman of the World War II Wilmington Homefront Heritage Coalition said Thursday night.</p><p>Passage in Congress should be "almost pro forma" either in the lame duck session after the Nov. 6 election or in early 2013, Wilbur D. Jones Jr. told the Historical Society of the Lower Cape Fear.</p><p>If passed, Wilmington would almost certainly be the first World War II city declared, Jones said.</p><p>Wilmington and the surrounding area had bases for all the armed services, including the massive Camp Davis, the anti-aircraft training center at Fort Fisher and the Coast Guard patrol station on Harbor Island.</p><p>There were even WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) flying target-towing missions at Fort Fisher, Jones said.</p><p>Wilmington was home to the state's largest wartime employer, the N.C. Shipbuilding Co. </p><p>The city had three prisoner-of-war encampments holding captured members of the German Afrika Corps.</p><p>And it's possible, Jones said, that Kure Beach was the site of the only German attack on American soil, when a U-boat allegedly shelled the Ethyl-Dow bromine plant in July 1943.</p><p>Rep. Mike McIntyre, a Democrat, introduced a bill in 2011 to have the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs declare one "American World War II city" each year, Jones said. </p><p>Rep, Walter Jones, a Republican whose 3rd District now includes downtown Wilmington and the USO building, has signed on to the measure.</p><p>The bill cleared the House Veterans Affairs Committee but did not pass the full House before the pre-election recess, Wilbur Jones said. Chances look good in the Senate, he added, where Richard Burr of North Carolina is the ranking Republican member on the Veterans Affairs Committee.</p><p>"We've got Republicans, we've got Democrats, we've got liberals, we've got conservatives lined up behind this," Jones said.</p><p>Meanwhile, a new collection of World War II memorabilia and memorials to "Greatest Generation" veterans will officially go on display Saturday at the Hannah Block USO Building.</p><p>The Homefront Heritage Coalition will formally unveil two new memorials in a brief ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday in the USO/Community Arts Center building at Second and Orange streets. Rep. McIntyre, Wilmington Mayor <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic72"><b>Bill Saffo</b></a> and New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield will participate.</p><p>One plaque will commemorate the 248 armed service members with New Hanover County ties who died in the Second World War. The other will salute the county's two World War II Medal of Honor winners, Charles P. Murray Jr. and William D. Halyburton Jr.</p><p>Among the new artifacts to be shown in the USO building are the remains of a champagne bottle used to christen the Liberty ship SS Roger Moore, which was launched at the Wilmington shipyard in 1943. The vessel was named for the founder of Orton Plantation.</p><p>"This is probably the most unique wartime relic I have ever seen," Jones told the historical society Thursday. "Usually these were just thrown away."</p><p>The neck of the bottle is still in the mesh sack that held it, with red, white and blue ribbons attached. It was preserved by the family of former StarNews chief photographer Joe Nesbitt.</p><p>Peggy Moore Perdew, a Roger Moore descendant who was present at the 1943 launch, will be on hand for the Saturday dedication, Jones said.</p><p>Other new items on display include a World War II Coast Guard uniform worn by Wilmington resident Swift Boatwright; the medals – including a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and French Croix de Guerre – earned by former state Sen. John Burney Jr., and paintings of the territory in Alsace, France, where Burney's infantry regiment fought.</p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic14"><b>Ben Steelman</b></a>: 343-2208</i></p>